LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — Central Catholic girls soccer is seeking vengance in this year's Class A State Finals
After a one goal loss to Park Tudor in the 2019 championship match, CC embarked on their self-titled "Revenge Season." One year later, they face the (21-2) Panthers at this year's State Finals.
This is a rematch the Knights have been waiting for for the last 12 months. CC Head coach Bill Kerr said that his team is ready for Friday's match.
"Our girls have been looking forward to this since the minute we walked off the field last year," said Kerr, moments before the final practice of the 2020 season.
Kerr is the District 2 coach of the year, and he has all-district talent on his roster. Junior Karsyn Cherry and Senior Caroline Lutz have a combined 58 goals this season.
"They do a fantastic job of communicating verbally and nonverbally," shared Kerr. "It's like they just know where the other player is going to be."
Both Cherry and Lutz are division one women's soccer commits. Lutz will attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in the fall of 2021, and Cherry will attend Louisville in the fall of 2022. For now, both players are focused on the task at hand.
"I don't think I've ever been this excited for a game," said Lutz. "We feel so much better about it than we did last year. We have a lot more confidence, especially because we've been doing so well in post season."
"Doing well" may be a bit of an understatement. The Knights have outscored postseason opponents 28-1 so far. They currently stand at (15-3) and have not lost a game by more than two goals this season. Cherry said that success comes from the uncertainty of the 2020 season.
"[The success comes from] knowing that the next game is never promised," said Cherry. "I might not see these girls again. That gives me motivation to just leave it all out on the field."
The Panthers will be a formidable opponent for the Knights. Park Tudor topped 3A Harrison earlier this season, 1-0. Lutz said the Panthers run a similar formation to CC.
"Just like us, their team chemistry is great," said Lutz. "They've got speed up top like we do, they have a solid back line like we do. They're just another great 1A school."
Kerr will share this message with his team before they take the field on Friday night:
"This is the moment you've been waiting for for over 12 months," said Kerr. "It's what you worked for all summer, all fall you've gotten here, now go have fun with it and prove that you deserve to be here."
Central Catholic will kickoff at 6pm against Park Tudor at Grand Park in Westfield. Highlights will be available on the WLFI Friday Night Frenzy Show. Reporter JD Arland will live tweet the score on his Twitter account (@arlandjd).
